Scene: Journey to the Northeast – Imperial, Elara, and Reyn
The wind howled over the jagged cliffs as Imperial walked at the front, his cloak brushing the snow-laced trail. Elara, trailing behind with a curious pout, finally broke the silence.
Elara: "Where exactly are we going now?"
Imperial didn't reply.
Elara (louder, borderline nagging): "Hey, I'm asking you a question—"
Reyn (dryly): "You trying to die a third time?"
Elara turned toward him, annoyed.
Reyn: "Best not to bother him when he's focused. He brought us back to life—again. And not counting all the times we died during training… that was, what? Twice a day on average?"
Elara sighed, then smiled softly.
Elara: "Yeah… fair enough. I owe him. My life, my strength… my heart. It all belongs to him."
Suddenly, all three sensed a powerful presence approaching fast. They immediately turned, alert.
A man ran toward them and dropped to one knee before Imperial.
Man: "Lord Imperial. A message from Lady Erika."
Elara squinted. Her expression shifted from surprise to recognition.
Elara: "Wait—is that… Draco? Former Vice General Dragan, the steel magic user?"
Imperial took the letter without a word. Then, from his dark space, he pulled out a small black box. He opened it, drew out a metallic sticker inscribed with runes, and handed it to Draco.
Imperial: "Give this to Erika. She'll know what to do with it."
Draco: "Yes, my Lord." (He stood, bowed again, and swiftly departed.)
They continued northeast, walking for hours until they arrived at a sprawling estate—Everly Mansion, built at the edge of a cliff overlooking frozen valleys. The stone structure was massive, wrapped in ornate towers, glowing sigils, and crimson banners of the Everly family crest.
As they approached the main gates, guards quickly recognized the masked figure.
Guard 1 (alarmed): "Red Mark Imperial—he's here!"
Guard 2: "Raise the barrier!"
Glowing magic erupted around the gate in layers of defense runes. But Imperial walked straight through them. The barrier shattered like glass as he passed, his aura forcing the magic to collapse.
Guard 1 (into a crystal): "Lord Mark! Emergency! Red Mark Imperial is at the gate! Requesting backup and royal soldiers—immediately!"
Before he could finish, Imperial vanished from sight and reappeared next to him.
Imperial: "Quite the honor to stand before Everly Mansion, isn't it… Lord Mark Everly?"
A voice crackled through the communication crystal.
Mark (through crystal): "You've got guts coming here, boy. You do realize the current Empress also lives here, yes?"
Imperial: "If that's meant to scare me, I'll pretend it did. I'm only here to speak with you. Privately."
Mark: "You always do prefer 'private' when it comes to nobles..."
Imperial: "It concerns your daughter. Elena Everly. And her condition."
Silence fell. A heartbeat later, Mark gave the order.
Mark (through the crystal): "...Let him in."
Even before the words fully left his lips, the guards had already collapsed—eyes rolled back, bodies limp, magic barriers flickering and dying. A silent pressure still lingered in the air—the aftermath of Imperial's magic wave.
Without a word, Imperial stepped forward, one hand pushing the tall iron gates. The heavy doors creaked open under his touch—not with force, but with weighty finality, like the entrance to a trial that could not be undone.
His boots echoed on the stone path as he entered the Everly Mansion grounds, shadows coiling faintly around his form. Behind him, Elara and Reyn followed, silent as the wind, eyes sharp.
Inside the Mansion
Imperial dropped the crystal onto the stone walkway and stepped inside. Elara and Reyn followed him closely. The inside was just as grand—gleaming chandeliers, velvet carpeting, marble stairs lined with Everly family armor suits.
Mark Everly, tall and proud with silver hair and sharp green eyes, met them at the corridor. He was dressed in formal military robes.
He didn't bow.
Mark: "Follow me."
He led them through ornate hallways and into a private chamber lined with magical scrolls and protective wards. Once the door closed, Mark turned to face Imperial.
Mark: "How do you know about her illness?"
Imperial: "Wrong question. What you should be asking is: Do you want her cured?"
Mark stayed silent for a few seconds. His expression was unreadable.
Mark: "How do I trust you? After all, the world calls you a criminal."
Imperial: "Trust is irrelevant. I'm the only one who can cure her. And if I truly meant harm—to you, your daughter, or this mansion—you wouldn't be able to stop me."
A pause. Tension thick in the air.
Mark (with a long breath): "Her health means more to me than anything. Even my life."
Imperial: "Good. Then I'll cure her. In exchange, I want two things."
Mark: "Name them."
Imperial: "First—this stays between us. No one must know. Not your family. Not the court. Not even to the branched elder daughter of evenly family, Celestia. Let Elena continue pretending to be ill. Until I say otherwise."
Mark looked like he wanted to question it… but didn't.
Mark: "...Fine."
Imperial: "The second thing… we'll discuss that after the cure. I want Elena to be present when I explain."
________________________________________
Mark led them to a softly lit bedroom. Inside, a girl with long green hair and gentle features lay resting under thick blankets.
She looked up slowly as they entered.
Elena: "Father? Who are they?"
Her gaze lingered on Imperial's masked face.
Elena (blinking): "Wait… I know you. That boy from years ago… in the central empire. I was about ten. You always sat alone during the visits… and I kept annoying you." (She coughed lightly.) "Imperial… right?"
Imperial didn't respond. He walked closer, eyes narrowing at a faint mark just beneath her left eye.
Elara shifted uncomfortably.
Mark: "It's a birthmark. It wasn't visible until a few years ago."
Imperial reached out and placed two fingers over the mark.
Black flames crackled around his fingertips. The air thickened. A small shockwave of dark energy pulsed out, then disappeared.
Mark: "What did you just do?!"
Imperial: "Relax. She's fine."
Elena (softly): "My pain… it's gone. My head doesn't feel heavy anymore. I—I can see more clearly. This hasn't happened in years!"
Mark (stunned): "Impossible… How?"
Imperial: "I told you. Now remember—no one speaks of this."
He pulled another item from his dark space—a shimmering sticker etched with golden-black glyphs.
He handed it to Elena. As soon as she held it, a faint black spark pulsed around her body.
Imperial: "Keep this with you at all times. Don't lose it. Don't remove it."
From the same space, an old man appeared beside him.
Imperial: "You may recognize him. Former General Rhogar."
Mark: "You… you killed him."
Imperial: "That's what the world thinks. From now on, he will protect Elena—secretly."
Rhogar gave a quiet bow, and then vanished again.
Mark and Elena exchanged a stunned glance.
Mark: "So what's your second request?"
Imperial stepped toward the door.
Imperial: "think that carefully. But I will say this—it's a small price, considering what you almost lost. Without this cure, Elena's vision would've faded within a year."
He opened the door, cloak trailing behind him.
Mark: "What… do you want from that?"
Imperial ignored him, stepping out of the room.
________________________________________
The Next Day – News across all the Empire
The headlines spread across the empire like wildfire:
"Red Mark Imperial to become the future son-in-law of House Everly—engaged to Elena Everly in future, princess of Pyronis."
But that wasn't the only shock.
"Kai Alden declared the next Emperor of Voltaris. Current Emperor steps down without explanation. A new royal family, under Kai Alden's name, joins the Supreme 11."
The world shifted again—and no one could predict what would come next.
[Voltaris Empire]
A group of citizens stood frozen, newspapers half-folded in their hands.
Merchant: "Didn't he kill some royal families some weeks ago? And now he's engaged to one of them? What's going on?"
Old Woman: "First Kai disappears, now returns as Emperor… Those Alden kids are rewriting the world."
[Alden mansion]
The parents sat side-by-side in the courtyard as staff rushed around, clearly unsettled by the news.
Lyra: (softly) "So… Kai is now going to be the Emperor and creating a separated family .And Imperial…"
Cyrus: (letting out a small laugh) "Engaging to a princess. Hah..."
Lyra: "they are becoming something more than we expected."
[Dark room]
Malrik (slamming the table):
"What?! That Alden kid… getting involved with the Everly family? Did you know anything about this, Celestia?"
Celestia (coldly, narrowing her eyes):
"No. Not a word. This wasn't part of any plan."
Magnus (chuckling):
"Heh… Looks like he's making moves of his own. Bold ones, too."
Seraphina (shaking her head):
"But why? Why would she agree to it? And more importantly… why would he—that Mark—go along with this?"
Malrik (gritting his teeth):
"Is he being used? Or is he playing his own game now…?"
Celestia (quietly, thinking):
"Either way, this changes everything."
________________________________________
[Pyronis Empire – north ]
The four sat around a small fire, reading the reports together. Silence lingered before the reactions exploded.
Tracey: "Hold on—Imperial is getting engaged?! To a princess?! Ooh men… what he planning now …?
Dawn: "Elena Everly… that's Pyronis royalty. That's no normal engagement."
Gray: (reading deeper) "And his bother becomes Emperor? Just like that?"
Ari: (quiet, unreadable expression)
She slowly folded the paper, thoughts churning behind her calm face.
"The world shifted again. And for the second time in months—no one could predict what would come next."